Back-pedaling brake.



Patented Sent. l8, I900.

'-W. J. LLOYD. 'BACK- PEDALING BRAKE.

(Application filed Sept. 25, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

{ (No Model.)

No. 658,269. Patented Sept. l8, I900. W. J. LLOYD.

BACK PEDALING BRAKE.

(Application filed Sept. 25, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

[nvenlor Wdnesses UNITED STATES" PATENT O FICE.

WALTER JOHN LLOYD, or BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

BACK-PEDALING BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,269, dated September 18, 1900.

Application filed September 25, 1899- Se'rial No. 731,595- (No model.)

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER JOHN LLOYD, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Birmingham, England,'have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake Mechanism for Velocipedes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in brake mechanism for veloci pedes of the kind com tnonly called freewheel velocipedes and free-crank velocipedes, my invention having for its object to enable the rider to put the brake in action by back-pedaling. I

In carrying my invention into effect in connection with a free-wheel or free-crank bicycle I provide the hub of the rear wheel of the bicycle preferably with a band or strap brake of the ordinary construction and operate the lever for tightening and slackeningthe band of the band or strap brake by the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and represented in the accompanying drawings.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings represents in side elevation a portion of a safetybicycle containing my improved brake mechism. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of a portion of the bottom bracket of the same with the brake-operating mechanism applied thereto; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the bottom bracket and parts carried by the same, the crank and part attached thereto being removed from the crank-axle; and Fig. 4 represents an elevation of the inner side of the detached crank and the notched or ratchet disk carried by the same. Figs. 2, 3, and tare drawn to a larger scale than Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating my improved brake-operating mechanism applied to a bicycle the rear wheel of which is provided with a rimbrake. Fig. 6 is a similar View showing the brake-operating mechanism applied to a bicycle the rear wheel of which is provided with a tire or spoon brake.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawlugs.

11 is the bottom bracket of the bicycle-frame. The ball-bearing cup I) of the said bottom bracket has formed on its outer side a flange c, on which is placed, so as to be capable of free motion thereon, a hell crank lever d. The upper arm of the bell-crank leverd carries a pawl 6, (see Figs 1 and 3,) the free or acting end of which'rests on the periphery of anot-ched or ratchet diskf, fitted onto a square boss g, made on the inner side of the head of the crank h. The lower or downwardly-pro- ,iecting arm of the bell-crank IGVGI d is connected, by means of a connecting-rod i, to the downwardly-projecting arm of the brake-1ever of the band or strap brake Z on the hub of the back wheel of the bicycle.

The action of the brake mechanism is as follows: On forward pedaling the notched or ratchet disk f rotates with the crank h, the notches of the disk f passing under the pawl e, resting on the periphery of the said disk. On the rider ceasing to pedal the parts preserve the position represented in Fig. 1, the velocipede traveling as a free-wheel velocipede. Should the rider at any time desire to apply the brake either forstopping the bicycle or for reducing the speed of the same, he has only to commence back-pedaling, when, oneof the teeth'or ratchet parts of the notched diskfcoming in contact with the pawl 6 effects the motion of the bell-crank lever 01 through a small angle, the motion of the said lever cl being transmitted through the connectingrod 2' to the lever is, operating the brake-strap, which brake-strap consists of a steel or other metallic spring-hand lined with leather or other non-metallic material. On the rider releasing the back pressure on the pedals the brake is removed from the hub of the back wheel of the bicycle.

Although I have represented my invention in connection with a band or strap brake, I

wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself thereto, as other brakes maybe operated by the construction and arrangement of parts describedsuch, for example, as spoonbrakes and rim-brakes, which act on the back wheel of the velocipede. For example, a rimbrake of the kind illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings may be operated by my improved brake mechanism by providing the rear end of the connecting-rod 'i with a forked termination 2' t the branches of which are connected to the two levers 'm m, constituting the rim-brake proper. The rim-brake is mainand thrown off after application by a spring n. Further, a spoon or tire brake for the back wheel of the kind shown in Fig. 6 may be operated bymyimproved brake mechanism by attaching the rear end of the connecting-rod '11 to the arm 0 of the spoon-brakep. A spring n for throwing off the brake is employed, as in the arrangement shown in Fig. 5.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with brake mechanism of a free-wheel or free-crank bicycle, of a ratchet-disk fitted to rotate with the drive crank-shaft, a bell-crank lever arranged to freely oscillate about the said shaft as a center, a pawl carried by one of the arms of the bell-crank lever and resting in contact with the ratchet-disk by gravity, and means con necting the other arm of said bell-crank lever with the brake mechanism, substantially as shownand described and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination with brake mechanism WALTER JOHN LLOYD.

Vitnesses GEORGE SHAW, RICHARD SKERRETT. 

